49ers are handicapped by using a full time Full Back..

I see this offense being in a definite transition this year. Don't get me wrong, relying heavily on a FB and playing out of a ball control style of offense has reaped benefits for us in the past, I think it's outlived it's benefits.

Every time Bruce Miller lines up in the back field that means that Stevie Johnson, Bruce Ellington, Brandon Lloyd will be sitting on the sidelines. Hear me out on this one! For the first time in many years, our receiving core is the strength of our offense. Not utilizing as many as we can is compromising our strength!!!!

I guarantee you that if you line up Crabtree/Boldin/Johnson as our Wide Outs and pair them with Vernon Davis (coupled with Colin Kaepernick's ability to scramble) there is NO WAY that he defenses can load the box. From the onset of the play they'll be back peddling and spread thin trying to cover these guys.

This alone will create some massive running lanes. There is simply no reason why our Running Backs cannot operate in single back formations. The holes will be there. Trust me. Other teams run plenty of single back schemes, why can't we?

Obviously this all changes when we are in a short yardage run situation but aside from that, we have outgrown our need for a full time FB.

Thoughts?

Edit: never mind.

Up until this point, the 49ers have used a FB to establish the run so that they can compliment with playaction. I agree with you that the best 5 skill players consist of having Boldin/Crabs/SJ on the field (a RB + VD). This is because SJ > Miller, and SJ > Vance when looking at it in a vacuum. I'm not a fan of fielding the best 5 players just for the sake of fielding the best 5 players. Not when there are options. I think matching up with the opposing defense is key. If the opposing defense has a soft front7, then keep that front7 on the field and go with the FB (or second TE). Afterall, Miller is a very good FB. If the opposing defense has a weak nickel package, then sit Miller down and play SJ more. The roster now has the ability to matchup with the opponent and attack their weakness. If it's a good defense that is equally good against the run and pass, then play it accordingly on that day.

I'm not sure why the 49ers don't run often out of single back formations. Maybe Gore prefers a lead blocker? I wouldn't call it a 'handicap' to use a FB. Bruising the opponent has its advantages. Ground and pound is just as sexy to me as a spread passing attack, but that's just me. 3 yard runs start to become 7 yard runs later in the game, which opens up playaction opportunities. Now that the coaches have the ability to go 22 or 11 personnel with a comparable level of talent in both personnel packages, it will be interesting to see how they utilize them.

why does the OP hate gingers?

Originally posted by thl408:
Up until this point, the 49ers have used a FB to establish the run so that they can compliment with playaction. I agree with you that the best 5 skill players consist of having Boldin/Crabs/SJ on the field (a RB + VD). This is because SJ > Miller, and SJ > Vance when looking at it in a vacuum. I'm not a fan of fielding the best 5 players just for the sake of fielding the best 5 players. Not when there are options. I think matching up with the opposing defense is key. If the opposing defense has a soft front7, then keep that front7 on the field and go with the FB (or second TE). Afterall, Miller is a very good FB. If the opposing defense has a weak nickel package, then sit Miller down and play SJ more. The roster now has the ability to matchup with the opponent and attack their weakness. If it's a good defense that is equally good against the run and pass, then play it accordingly on that day.

I'm not sure why the 49ers don't run often out of single back formations. Maybe Gore prefers a lead blocker? I wouldn't call it a 'handicap' to use a FB. Bruising the opponent has its advantages. Ground and pound is just as sexy to me as a spread passing attack, but that's just me. 3 yard runs start to become 7 yard runs later in the game, which opens up playaction opportunities. Now that the coaches have the ability to go 22 or 11 personnel with a comparable level of talent in both personnel packages, it will be interesting to see how they utilize them.

Do note that teams with a weak coverage make it up with disguising and blitzing more.

The best offense is an offense that has players that can play the position and are talented enough to do other things on the field. We would be weak if we had Moran Norris who can ONLY block. Bruce Miller can do more than just block which is why we really missed him when he got hurt last year. He has the ability to block and play sort of a possession TE role. Dude can catch.

This allows us to force the defense to keep their base formation and spread LB's who are weak in coverage or send WR's in their area to easily get open. This also allows us to keep fresh legs in the game with player substitution. When we play a teams who are weaker in coverage, then they MUST stop our run in order to win. If they don't, then we already won the game.

Just look at Denver and NE. They suck against top defenses because they are one-dimensional. They look great destroying the weaker defenses whereas we will keeping winning the same steady way vs any defense.

hells no. Miller is one of the best players on the field.

I believe having a full time FB is a strength as opposed to a handicap. Being able to grind out yards in 22 and 21 personnel is never a bad thing. You just have to believe that Jim's ultimate idea of his offense is one that is multiple enough to move ball both from the spread and base packages. I think this is the first time in his tenure that we have the roster to do just that.

why does the OP hate handicapped gingers?

haters gonna haters!

We need to keep Bruce Miller. He is a highly underrated receiver and opposing defenses simply forget about him as a receiving threat, which is why it is good to have him out there catching passes as yet another wrinkle to our offense. Defenses are just simply caught off guard a lot of the time he goes out, runs a route, and actually is targeted.

A couple examples:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-fantasy/09000d5d823d3e9c/QB-Smith-to-RB-Miller-30-yd-pass-TD

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000269955/Bruce-Miller-43-yard-catch

I rather leave him in he was a good target for kaep last season before he got injured. When ever he got his hands on the ball it was usually for positive yards. Nothing wrong with checking it down to Miller and let him run and power his way to extra yards after the catch. Even with all the WR talent we have on the team they are still going to use a 2 receiver set most of the time anyway like last year.

Bruce Miller > Steve Johnson

Originally posted by thl408:

Up until this point, the 49ers have used a FB to establish the run so that they can compliment with playaction. I agree with you that the best 5 skill players consist of having Boldin/Crabs/SJ on the field (a RB + VD). This is because SJ > Miller, and SJ > Vance when looking at it in a vacuum. I'm not a fan of fielding the best 5 players just for the sake of fielding the best 5 players. Not when there are options. I think matching up with the opposing defense is key. If the opposing defense has a soft front7, then keep that front7 on the field and go with the FB (or second TE). Afterall, Miller is a very good FB. If the opposing defense has a weak nickel package, then sit Miller down and play SJ more. The roster now has the ability to matchup with the opponent and attack their weakness. If it's a good defense that is equally good against the run and pass, then play it accordingly on that day.

I'm not sure why the 49ers don't run often out of single back formations. Maybe Gore prefers a lead blocker? I wouldn't call it a 'handicap' to use a FB. Bruising the opponent has its advantages. Ground and pound is just as sexy to me as a spread passing attack, but that's just me. 3 yard runs start to become 7 yard runs later in the game, which opens up playaction opportunities. Now that the coaches have the ability to go 22 or 11 personnel with a comparable level of talent in both personnel packages, it will be interesting to see how they utilize them.

I think the OP just doesn't understand the difference between red zone and the rest of the field.

Why draft Milliard who cant play until next year if there fasing out FB

Originally posted by Since07:

Bruce Miller > Steve Johnson

Debatable. Obviously they bring completely different skill sets to the table. SJ has proven success over a longer period of time. Miller plays a position that has high value in a run first offense.